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Florida head coach Billy Donovan reacts to play against Kentucky during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Championship round of the Southeastern Conference men's tournament, Sunday, March 16, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

SEC regular season and tournament champion Florida (32-2) claimed the No. 1 seed in the South Region of the 2014 NCAA men's basketball tournament, as well as the tournament's top overall seed.

The nation's top-ranked team makes its 19th appearance in the NCAA tournament, which the Gators won in 2006 and 2007. Florida is led by SEC Player of the Year Scottie Wilbekin, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, who averages 13 points and a team-high 3.7 assists per game, and leading scorer Casey Prather (14.3 ppg).

Florida plays the winner of Tuesday's Mount St. Mary's-Albany game. A likely win for Florida would send the Gators to face the winner of the Colorado-Pittsburgh matchup.

The No. 2 seed in the South is Kansas (24-9), which won the Big 12 regular season title but was bounced in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Kansas, led by freshman Andrew Wiggins (17.4 ppg), will start the tournament without 7-foot freshman Joel Embiid (8.1 rebounds per game), who is sidelined with a stress fracture in his back. With Embiid, the Jayhawks allowed 67.1 points per game. Without Embiid, the Jayhawks allowed 75.6 points and lost two of five games.

Syracuse took the South's No. 3 seed. The Orange won their first 25 games, but lost five of their final seven, including to NC State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. Syracuse should have plenty of fan support, at least, as the Orange stay close to home for their tournament opener against Western Michigan in Buffalo. The winner meets the survivor of the Ohio State-Dayton game, which should be another sellout in Buffalo. Like Syracuse, Ohio State (25-9) started the season on a roll, winning 15 straight before struggling offensively and ultimately losing in the Big Ten semifinals.

After beating Arizona to win the Pac 12 tournament, No. 4 seed UCLA is rolling into the NCAA tournament and meets Tulsa. The Bruins are led by multi-dimensional 6-foot-9 Kyle Anderson (14.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists per game) and leading scorer Jordan Adams (17.2 ppg), who was injured just before the NCAA tournament last season.

The UCLA-Tulsa winner meets the victor in one of the tourney's best 5-12 matchups pitting Virginia Commonwealth against Stephen F. Austin (31-2), which has won 28 straight.